6 liter Nautique question

[T_C]

I have been too embarrassed to ask this question after missing my opener at a tournament last weekend but I'm ready to move on... I may get the same boat at regionals so I need some feed back. First round I ran 2 at 35 behind the Malibu which is only two below my average so I didn't feel to bad and was looking forward to improving for round two.

The boat for the second round was a 2014 Nautique 200. I have skied well behind all the 200s before so I was ready for a good round.

I pulled out for the gates as normal but got lean locked and had a hard time slowing down. I knew I was fast and I turned in pretty hard to keep the line tight but thought no big deal it's my opener right? As I got to the wake I got pulled up the ski went flat and I got some good air ( it was a nice wake jump). Unfortunately when I landed I had no speed and feel over at one ball. Score 1/2. It was over so fast I really didn't know what happened. I went back later and looked at the scores for the other skiers and found that almost half the skiers missed their opener! I also found out it was a 6 liter. Even if I would have know it was a 6 liter I don't think I would have done anything different.

My Question is when you ski behind the 6 liter 200 do you check change your approach. I use C1 but I am wondering if anyone goes down a letter on ZO. Or do you pull out earlier/softer, turn in earlier, What if anything do you change?

 

 

[ForrestGump]

As long as the right prop is on it, the 6.0 liters should feel sweet. Current preferred approved prop is the Acme 668. With that prop, that boat feels damn good. You shouldn't change anything about the way you ski.

[skierjp]

The 6 liter is actually preferred by most skiers. Did the lake have a short set up to the course?

[MattP]

@scotchipman‌ arrow or the Indian?

[Not_The_Pug]

Just a question, but did they have the Hydro Gate in the wrong position?

[ForrestGump]

Wouldn't be the first time that's happened. Was the victim of it once, myself. Also, there are some 200s that have a hydrogate that binds in the slot and never fully goes down. Or goes down sideways. I think that's a more logical thing.

[Nick Sullivan]

No we didn't have the Hydro Gate in the trick mode. The boat has the right prop too. I also did not ski up to my potential but it had nothing to do with the boat.

 

The only thing I did notice was the boat crew that started off in the boat was not sitting in the boat so it was level. I asked the judge twice to move more to the center of the boat to level it out. He didn't. After the boat crew change I instructed them to have the judge sit more in the center of the boat and he did.

 

Tom, Come to Mint Friday for practice and I'd love to pull you again behind the boat. I'm confident you'll really like it.

[The_MS]

I move from B1 to C1 when I get the 6 liter on the 200.

[Kelvin]

I have noticed that the 2014 200s in the Houston area have more issues with balancing than prior years.

[Nick Sullivan]

This boat is loaded with extra stuff on the passenger side of the boat. Big amp, sub, battery charger...

[ForrestGump]

1/8" of hook added to passenger side fixes all the balance problems.

[brettmainer]

Sometimes you fall. Especially when you get lean locked. That doesn't mean it is the boat's fault. I missed an opener at Regionals once and it wasn't the boat's fault. The 4 boats all are a little different, but I truly don't care which one I get at a tournament. They are all good and I can ski to my limited potential behind any of them. The key to skiing well in tournaments is to do what you do regardless of boat, wind, or rain. Don't overthink it.

 

[6balls]

6.0 pull seems nicer as ZO more gradual. Wake is muy bueno shorter than 28. Seemed the 6.0 had a stiffer wake at my 28 off opener...though a 5.7 I skied once had same. One of the early 200's I skied (CP record boat) had God's own slalom wake 28 and shorter...was simply amazing. Expected all 200's would be that way but not true since.

[dbutcher]

Most 6.0L 200's use Acme's 668 prop. Most 5.7L 200's use Acme's 654 prop. The 668 has .150 cup. The 654 has .105 cup. My personal, unproven and subjective opinion is that heavier cupping makes the wake harsher in any brand of boat.